Chester



4 Sheets-Sheet 1.v

(No Model.)

T.-T.HQRP, T. G. MARSH 82: J. HAYNES.

' PREPAY-MENT GAS METER.

- Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

4 SheetsSheet 2.

(No Model.)

T. THORP, T. G. MARsHav J. HAYNES;

PREPAYMENT' GAS METER.

' Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

(No Model.) 4 Sfieets+Shet a. T. THORP, T. G.. MARSH & J; HAYNES.

PREPAYMENT GAS METER. I

Patented Aug. 6, 1895 (No Model.) Sheets-Sheet 4. -T.1THORP, T. G. MARSH& J.- HAYNES.

' PREPAYMENT GAS METER.

No. 543,951; PatentIed Aug. 6, 1895.

r ATTORNE I W/QMW WITNESSES.

UN-rrno STAT-ES FATENT Orrr cn.

THOMAS THORP, OF l/VHITEFIELD, THOMAS GARDINER MARSH, OF MAN- CHESTER,AND JOHN HAYNES, OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

PREPAYMENT GAS-METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 543,951, dated August6, 1895. Application filed October 22, 1894. serial No. 526,630. (No m dl.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, THOMAS THORP, residing at Whitefield, THOMASGARDINER MARSH, residing at Manchester, and J OHN HAYNES, residing atLiverpool, in' the county of Lancaster, England, subjects of the QueenofGreat Britain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPrepayment Gas-Meters, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to gas-meters delivering on prepayment a quantityof gas proportionate to the number of coins inserted into a slot; and itconsists in the improved arrangement or construction of the mechanismand parts thereof and combination of the same with each other and thegas-meter.

In the prepayment mechanism hitherto made the motion of the coinreceiver or carrier is usually transmitted to the valve and index of thequantity of gas paid for and unconsumed by means of pawls andratchetwheels or equivalent mechanism depending upongravity orspring-pressure for its correct action, which is unreliable, as the pawlmay miss a tooth of the ratchet or the equivalent parts may slip,whereby the consumer or the gas company is detrimentally affected,according to the arrangement of the mechanism. Another defect of suchmeters is that the closing of the valve has to be eifected when thequantity paid for is consumed by the action of the meter drum orbellows, and as the pressure operating such drum decreases as the valvebecomes more and more closed the valve is not closed tight and allowsgas to pass through the meter.

The object of our invention is mainly to remedy these defects byarranging the mech-.

anism so that the coin-carrier must make an entire revolution for eachcoin inserted, and transmitting such rotary motion to the valveoperating mechanism by toothed gearing, in combination with an improvedconstruction of the valve, so that it is closed tight by thegas-pressure in the main when lightly closed by the meter mechanism,and, further, to simplify the prepayment mechanism and arranging it sothat it can bebodily attached to or removed from a meter, so that thelatter can be used either as a prepayment or ordinary meter.

On the drawings annexed hereunto, Figure 1 shows an outside front viewof the upper part of a dry meter with the prepayment mechanism attachedthereto; Fig. 2, a vertical section through the prepayment mechanism,-asseen from the front, Fig. 3, a plan with the top and valve removed; Fig.4, a view of the front plate with parts attached thereto, as seen fromthe back; Fig. 5, a side view of the same; Figs. 6, 7, and 8, a front,side, and back view of the front coin-carrying cylinder; Figs. 9, 10,and 11, similar views of the back coin-carrying cylinder. Fig. 12 showsa vertical section of the valve-casing, and Fig. 13 a horizontal sectionof the same through the outlet-ports on an enlarged scale.

The improved prepayment mechanism is contained in a casing A, which isattached to the upper part of the gas-meter at the side of the usualconsumption-index B, Fig. 1. The coin isinserted through a slot a into aslot 1), formed in a hollow cylinder b b which is made in parts, thepart b being fixed to the front plate A of the casing A, and the part b.to the back plate A by screws a and to the front plate A by screw a.The slot 12 is placed to one side of the center line of the cylinder andis made about as long as the diameter of the coin to be used forprepayment. The bottom side of the cylinder has a wider slot b extendingfor the full length of the bottom side. Into the cylinder 6 b are placedtwo solid coin-carrying cylinders c and (1. (Shown separately by Figs. 6to 8 and 9 to 11, respectively.) The front coincylinder 0 is formed withor has fixed to it a spindle of, which passes through the front plate'A'and has a winged handle 0 or other handle or button fixed upon it, bymeans of which the cylinder 0 can be turned, a pointer 0 likewise fixedto the spindle, indicating the position in which the cylinder must befor receiving the coin, and an arrow 0 shows the direction in which thehandle is to be turned. Ratchet-teeth c are cut in the front edge of thecylinder 0, and a pawl 0 fulcrumed on the front plate A, engages withthem and prevents the handle from being turned in the wrong direction.

The back coin-carrying cylinder dis formed with a projecting rim cutaway for the greater part, except the length (1', so that, while thelatter rests against the face of the front cylinder 0, there is a spacebetween the cylinders for the rest of the circumference. The cylinderhas a pinion d fixed upon its back end and a projecting stem (Z whichbutts against the back plate A and holds the cyl- .inder in positioninits longitudinal direction.

Each coin-carrying cylinder has a slot in its face opposite the other,the slots being to one side of the center and coinciding with the slotZ) in the top of the hollow cylinder, so thata coin dropped into thelatter passes into the slots in the cylinders c and (Z when theirposition coincides with the upper slot. In order to prevent the coinfrom dropping through or the back cylinder (1 from being turned when nocoin is inserted, a tumblerlever c is arranged in the slot (1 the end 9'of which lever projects from the cylinderand arrests the turning of thesame by coming against the edge of the slot b in the bottom side of thehollow cylinder, unless withdrawn by the insertion of a coin of theprescribed size, which by pushing back the upper end of lever c liftsthe end 6' up into the cylinder and allows it to be turned, the lever eforming at the same time a rest for the coin. A coin of smaller sizewill simplydrop through the slot into the receptacle 0.

When a correct coin has been inserted it will connect the two cylindersc and d or act as a driver, so that when the front cylinder is turned bymeans of the handle c the back cylinder is turned with it by means ofthe coin till the latter is expelled after about half a revolution. Forthis purpose the leverf is arranged fnlcrumed on a stud f in a bracket fscrewed to the front plate A, which lever fis pressed downward by aspringf and extends into the space between the coin-cylinders c and dthrough a slot in the outer cylinder 1) b \Vhen the cylinders c and (Zare turned after insertion of a coin, the projecting rim part d catchesunder the lever f, which is held in position just above theleading edgeof (Z when in its starting position by means of a restf on the fixedcylinder 6 and raises up the lever f above the coin till, after makingabout half a revolution, the rim part (1 liberates the lever, which,slipping off, pushes, under the action of the springf the coin out ofthe slots into the coin-receptacle 0 arranged below them. Thisarrangement prevents fraud by the insertion of coins smeared with wax orother sticky substance with the object of turning the mechanism roundseveral times with one coin.

W'hen the coin has been expelled, the connection formed by it betweenthe front and back coin-cylinders c and d is dissolved, and the backcylinder cZ would remain in the position it then occupies, while thefront cylinder is turned farther round, unless in the meantime anotherconnection between the cylinders were made. This is done in thefollowing manner: In a slot in the fronteoiucylinder 0 a lever g ismounted on a pivot g and is in the position shown on Fig. 7 when thecylinder is placed in the coin-receiving position. The cylinder isrecessed at the front under the ratchehteeth, and in the recess aninclined segment 9 Figs. 4 and 5, is fixed to the front plate A, whichthe nose of the lever encounters before the cylinder has made half aturn. The lever g is thereby turned backward and the other end g" of thesame protruded from the face of the cylinder, so that it catches behindthe peg (Z fixed in the face of the back cylinder (Z, Fig. 9, and thiscylinder continues to be turned by the front cylinder after the coin hasbeen rejected until the end g of the lever g catches against thelever f,which turns it back, so as to push it in and liberate the peg (1 at themoment the cylinders have made a complete revolution, the end q havingslipped off the end of the inclined segment g in the meantime. By thesemeans the two cylinders are constrained to make an entire revolutionafter the insertion of each coin before another coin can be inserted.The number of revolutions and coins paid in may be registered on anindex in any convenient: manner-for instance, by attaching a pawl h,Fig. 4, to the lever f, which pawl acts on a ratchet-wheel h andadvances it by a tooth for each rotation of the coin-cylinders, thismovement being indicated by a pointer on a dial D in front of the meter.Other dials S L maybe arranged with pointers actuated from the spindleof the ratchet-wheel through single cogs and spur-wheels, so as toindicate the sum total of the coins inserted into the meter in pounds,shillings, and pence, or dollars, dimes, and cents, or otherdenominations of the coinage used, if desired. This index may be omittedif notdesired.

The mechanism for opening the inlet-valve IIO cylinder; but thisarrangement has the disadvantage that a tooth of the ratchet may bemissed, and we prefer to arrange the mechanism to act in a positivemanner, as follows: Upon the end of the back cylinder (Z we fix or forma spur-wheel d meshing with a earrierwheel 2', which meshes with aspur-wheel 11', mounted loosely upon a stud i and formed with orattached to a crown-wheel 2' or an equivalent bevel-wheel. Opposite tothe wheel i another equal crown-wheel 7a or equivalent bevel-wheel islikewise loosely mounted upon a sleeve 91 on the stud and formed with ascrewed boss 70, upon which another crown-wheel k is screwed, which canbe changed for others having a greater or less number of teeth. Thiscrown-wheel meshes with a pinion Z, formed on a spindle Z, which issupported in brackets Z Z and carries a spur-wheel Z gearing with apinion m'upon a shaft m, that passes through a stuffing-box m solderedto the case of the prepayment tion-index B of the gas-meter.-

The arrangement for driving the shaft m may be varied according to theconstructive arrangement of the meter and index-driving mechanism. Thelong sleeve *n, which is loose upon the stud i is formed with a bossbetween the crown-wheels i and it, into which is screwed or fixed a studn, upon which a spur-wheel n is mounted, meshing with both crown-Wheels.If bevel-wheels are used instead of crown-wheels, a bevel-wheel meshingwith both is used instead of the spurwheel of. The stud nextends beyondthe wheel 42 and the valve is so placed that the stem 0 of the same isencountered by the stud when the sleeve is turned in the oppositedirection to that indicated by the arrow on Fig. 2. The action of thisarrangement of mechanism is as follows: WVhen the handle 0 is turnedafter insertion of a coin, the back cylinder dis turned in the mannerbefore described and through the wheels d 1', and 2" turns thecrown-wheel t in the direction shown by arrow on Figs. 2 and 3. Thecrown-wheel 70, connected to W, is held by the pinion Z, as this pinionis not rotated through the gearing described when the shaft m isstationary while no gas is consumed or rotated very slowly while gasisconsumed. In consequence the wheel n is rolled along the wheei by thewheel 2' and the stud nmoves through half the are described by a toothor wheel 11 and in the same direction away from the valve-stem 0. Thevalve is so arranged that it opens'by the gas-pressure in the main orits weight or a spring 0 placed around the spindle, and consequently gasenters the meter. For each additional turn of the handle and coininserted the stud moves through a further equal arc away from thevalve-spindle. As the gas is consumed the crown-wheel 7.: is rotated bythe shaft m through the gearing described in the opposite direction tothat in which the wheel-2' is rotated on the insertion of a coin, whilethis wheel 2' is kept stationary by a catch at, which engages in a notch01 made in the back cylinder cl for this purpose. In consequence thewheel 72 rolls on the wheel i and the sleeve nand stud n are turned inthe opposite direction. until, when the gas paid for has been entirelyconsumed,-the stud 'n' encounters the valve-spindle o, and, lifting it,closes the inlet-valve.

Obviously coins may be paid in while gas is being consumed, the motionof the wheel n being a diiferential one in that case. If bevel-wheelsare used instead of crown and spur wheels, the action of course is thesame. The catch 61 works on a pivot screwed into a ing 6 on the fixedcylinder 5'. The sleeve 41,

which passes through the wheel lo and its screwed boss, has a boss 12fixed upon it, to which a dial n is attached, visible through a glazedopening in the front plate A, on which the number of coins for which gasmay be consumed is indicated. In order to prevent the sleeve beingturned too far by the insertion of coins and the valve-spindle bent bythe stud n or. other injury done, a peg of, Fig. 2, is fixed in the bossn which before. the stud 12. comes against the side of valvespindle oencounters the end 19 of a bar 19, which is fulcrumed on a bell-cranklever p weighted at the lower limb, so as to hold the parts in theposition shown on Figs. 3 and 4:. The other end 19 of bar 9 rests uponthe top of the fixed cylinder part b at the side of the coin-slot b,and, when the peg n pushes the end 19 is brought over the slot andprevents the insertion of further coins. Obviously a sliding bar or boltunder spring action may be substituted for the hinged bar and bell-crank.

In order to be able to varythe quantity of gas supplied for each coininserted, the Wheel k is made exchangeable and screwed upon the boss ofwheel is. For this purpose the bearing Z is made with a detachable capin front, after removal of which the pinion Z, with its shaft, can betaken out, when the case .has been opened by removing the front plate inprepayment-meters, which we overcome in the following way: The main isconnected to the inlet q and the gas passes into the chamber g, to thebottomof which the valve-chamber r-is soldered. The valve-chamber hasinlets r and outlets 4*, opening into the passage 9 Underneath theinlets 'r a valve-seating is formed on the chamber, as shown. The valveconsists of a recessed disk 0, fixed upon the stem 0, which disk issomewhat larger in diameter than the valve seating and has stretchedover it a leather diaphragm 0 fixed by means of a hoop 0 driven on, andis provided with a central hole. Between the disk 0 and a shoulder onthe spindle 0 an otherleather or rubber diaphragm r is nipped andattached gas-tight to the valve-chamber by means of a cap r. A spring 0may be placed between the cap and a collar or its equivalent on thespindle 0 to assist in opening the valve. The diaphragm r serves insteadof a stuffing-box and insures a gas-tight closure of the valvechamber.When the valve is lifted up against the seating till the diaphragm 0comes into contact-with the same, the gas under pressure passes into thespace behind the diaphragm,

and, as the area of the same is larger than the valve-seating, pressesthe diaphragm upon the seating and tightly closes the valve withoutrequiring any great exertion of pressure upon the valve-spindle.

It will be evident from the enlarged drawings in Figs. 12 and 13 thatwhen the valve is closed the gas-pressure in the inlet-port acts upon acircular area of the diaphragm o having a diameter equal to the internaldiameter of the seating, while it acts on the back of the diaphragm onan area having a diameter equal to the internal diameter of the hoop 0From the passage extending over the top of the casing containing theprepayment mechanism, the gas descends through the passage g at the backof the easing into the chamber q. Into the top of this chamber a hollowscrewed cap sis fitted, having holes a in its circumference. This cap isscrewed upon a screwed pipe end 6, which is soldered to the top of thepassage t formed in the gas-meter" casing and conducting the gas to theinside of the meter. After the front plate A has been removed the capscan be screwed ofi the pipet and the casing containing the prepaymentmechanism bodily removed. This arrangement permits the meter preparedfor the attachment of the prepayment mechanism to be used either with orwithout the same, the gas-main being in the latter case directlyconnected to the pipe 25.

The prepayment mechanism described occupies onlyasmall space, thedrawings showing the same in full size, and is positive in its action inconsequence of the rotation of the coin-cylinder being transferred tothe valveoperating mechanism by means of toothed gearing.

\Ve claim 1. The combination with a prepayment gas meter of a hollowcylinder fixed in a casing both having slots for the insertion of acoin, two solid cylinders insertedinto the fixed cylinder and held apartby a projecting segment on one of them and having slots in their facesfor the insertion of said coin, a handle and pointer attached to thefront solid cylinder outside of the casing, a lever under springpressure extending into the, space between the cylinders and arranged toeject the coin after half." a turn of the cylinder, a lever fulcrumed ina slot of the front cylinder actuated by a fixed inclined segment so asto project and butt against a stop in the back cylinder at the moment ofthe ejection of the coin and release the stop when an entire revolutionof the cylinders has been completed, and mechanism for opening the gasinlet valve operated by the revolution of the cylinders.

2. The combination witha prepayment gas meter of a coin receiver makingone entire revolution for each coin inserted, a pinion fixed to the samedriving a wheel having another wheel with lateral teeth attachedthereto, a sleeve loose on the axis of said wheel, a pivot fixed in saidsleeve at a right angle thereto, a pinion mounted on the pivot meshingwith said wheel with lateral teeth; a second wheel with lateralteethloose upon the sleeve and also meshing with said pinion, a crownwheel fixed to the second wheel and meshing with a pinion rotated by theindex driving shaft of the meter in the opposite direction to that inwhich the first wheel is rotated by the pinion fixed to the backcylinder, a gas inlet valve having a stem projecting into the path ofthe pivot fixed into the sleeve and encountered by the same when thesleeve is 1'0- tated backward by said index driving shaft, substantiallyas and for the purposes described.

3. The combination with a prepayment gas meter of a lever under springpressure for expelling the coin from the coin receiver, and making oneoscillation for each coin inserted, a pawl fulcrumed on said lever andactuating a ratchet wheel on a spindle, and a coin totalizing indexdriven by said spindle.

4. The combination with a prepayment gas meter of a hollow cylinderfixed in a casing having slots for the insertion and ejection of a coin,two solid cylinders inserted into said fixed cylinder-and held apart byaprojecting segment on one of them and having slots in their faces forthe insertion of said coin, a handle and pointer attached to the frontcylinder outside of the casing, a lever under spring pressure extendinginto the space between said cylinders and arranged to eject the coinafter half a turn of the cylinder, a pawl connected thereto actuating acoin totalizing index, a lever fulcrumed in a slot of the front cylinderactuated by a fixed inclined segment so as to project and butt against astop in the back cylinder at the moment of the ejection of the coin andrelease the stop when an entire revolution has been com pleted; a pinionfixed to the back cylinder and driving a wheel having another wheel withlateral teeth attached thereto, a sleeve loose on the axis of saidwheel, a pivot fixed in said sleeve at a right angle thereto, a pinionmounted on said pivot meshing with said wheel with lateral teeth, asecond wheel with lateral teeth loose upon said sleeve and also meshingwith said pinion, a crown wheel fixed to said second wheel and meshingwith a pin ion rotated by the index driving shaft in the oppositedirection to that in which the first wheel is rotated by the pinionfixedto the back cylinder, a gas inlet valve having a stern projectinginto the path of the pivot fixed into the sleeve and encountered by thesame when the sleeve is rotated backward by said index driving shaft.

5. The combination with a prepayment gas IIO meter of an inlet valveconsisting of a valve 1 chamber with central inlet and lateral outlets,a seating formed on the inside of said inlet, a recessed valve disk oflarger diameter than said seating and having a flexible diaphragmstretched over it, said diaphragm having an opening in the center, astem formed on said valve disk and attached gas tight to the center of adiaphragm stretched over the valve casing and attached thereto by meansof a cap through which the valve spindle projects.

6, The combination with a prepayment gas meter of a hollow cylinderfixed in a casing having slots for the insertion and ejection of a coin;two solid cylinders inserted into said fixed cylinder and held apart bya projecting segment on one of them and having slots in their faces forthe insertion of said coin, a handle and pointer attached to the frontcylinder outside of the casing, a lever under spring pressure extendinginto the space between said cylinders and arranged to eject the coinafter half a turn of the cylinder, a

lever fulcrumed in a slot of the front cylinder actuated by a fixedinclined segment so as to project and butt against a stop in the backcylinder at the moment of the ejection of the coin and release the stopwhen an entire revolution has been completed; a pinion fixed to the backcylinder driving a wheel having another wheel with lateral teethattached there to, a sleeve loose on the axis of said wheel, a pivotfixed in said sleeve at a right angle thereto, a pinion mountedon saidpivot meshing with said Wheel with lateral teeth, a second wheel withlateral teeth loose upon said sleeve and also meshing with said pinion,a crown wheel fixed to said second wheel and meshing with a pinionrotated by the index driving shaft in the opposite direction to that inwhich the first Wheel is rotated by the pinion fixed to the backcylinder; a valve chamber with central inlet and lateral outlets, aseating formed on the inside of said inlet, a recessed valve disk oflarger diameter than said seating and having a flexible diaphragmstretched over it, said diaphragm having an opening in the center; astem formed on said valve disk and attached gas tight to the center of adiaphragm stretched over the valve casing and attached thereto by meansof a cap through which the valve spindle projects into the path of thepivot on the sleeve and is encountered thereby when the sleeve isrotated backward by said index driving shaft.

7. The combination with a gasmeter provided with screwed gas inlet of'acasing containing a valve and mechanism for opening the same by means of"a coin inserted into 'the casing and closing it when the quantity paidfor has been consumed, a port leading from the valve to the gas meter,an opening in the under side of the port fitting over said gas inlet andan opposite opening in the top side,a screwed flanged cap with lateralopenings fitting into the same and attaching the casing to the meter bybeing screwed upon the inlet pipe.

8. The combination with a prepayment gas meter of a hollow cylinderfixed in a casing having slots for the insertion and ejection of a coin;two solid cylinders inserted into said fixed cylinder andheld apart byaprojecting segment on one of them and having slots in their faces forthe insertion of said coin, a handle and pointer attached to the frontcylinder outside of the casing, a lever under spring pressure extendinginto the space between said cylinders and arranged to eject the coinafter half a turn of the cylinder, a lever fulcrumed in a slot of thefront cylinder actuated by a fixed inclined segment so as to project andbutt against a stop in the back cylinder at the moment of the ejectionof the coin and release the stop when an entire revolution has beencompleted; a pinion fixed to the back cylinder driving a wheel havinganother wheel-with lateral teeth attached thereto, a sleeve loose on theaxis of said wheel, a pivot'fixed in said sleeve at a right anglethereto, a pinion mounted on said pivot meshing with said wheel withlateral teeth, a second wheel with lateral teeth loose upon said sleeveand also meshing with said pinion, a crown wheel fixed to said secondwheel and meshing with a pinion rotated by the index driving shaft inthe opposite direction to that in which the first wheel is rotated bythe pinion fixed to the back cylinder; a valve chamber with centralinlet and lateral outlets, a seating formed on the inside of said inlet,a recessed valve disk of larger diameter than said seating and having aflexible diaphragm stretched over it, said diaphragm having an openingin the center; a stem formed on said valve disk and attached gas tightto the center of a diaphragm stretched over the valve casing andattached thereto by means of a cap through which the valve spindleprojects into the path of the pivot on the sleeve and is encounteredthereby when the sleeve is rotated backward by said index driving shaft;a port leading from the valve chamber outlet to the gas inlet pipe ofthe meter, an opening in the under side of said port fitting over saidpipe and a flanged cap with lateral openings screwed upon the samethrough an opening in the top side of the port and thereby attaching thecase to the meter.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto affixed our signatures in-presenceof two'witnesses.

THOMAS TI-IORP. THOMAS GARDINER MARSH. JOHN HAYNES. Witnesses:

CARL BoLLfi, R. J. URQUHART.

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